Tuesday, 9 April ‘24

Suspicion Issued to Director of Russian Cruise Missile Company  

Ukrainian investigators informed 51-year-old Serhey Bogatikov, general director of the Russian Raduga, of a suspicion in absentia. The design and construction enterprise produces the strategic Kh-101 air-to-ground cruise missiles. According to the investigation, on April 28, 2023, such a missile was aimed at an apartment building in Uman, killing 23 local residents, including 6 children.

Bogatikov was charged under several articles of the criminal code of Ukraine: Part 5 of Art 27, Part 2 of Art 28 and Part 2 of Ar. 437 (assistance in the waging of an aggressive war committed by a group of persons in accordance with a prior conspiracy).  

Investigation of War Crimes in Kyiv Region 

More than 20,000 alleged war crimes have been documented in Kyiv region, including 13,000 committed during its occupation by Russian forces, with more than 2,400 people killed and over 1,000 injured.  

The office of the prosecutor general of Ukraine released this data to mark the second anniversary of the liberation of Kyiv region from Russian troops.  

Prosecutor general Andriy Kostin said, “193 people have been notified of suspicion for committing these crimes. The investigation was completed and indictments against 130 persons were sent to the court. There are already sentences for 25 people.”  

The Ukrainian police reported that the search for missing people continued in Bucha. According to official figures, the bodies of 422 murdered civilians were identified out of a total of 1,190 bodies found in the district. There are 514 residents of Kyiv region who are still listed as missing and 180 bodies remain unidentified.  

Russian Propagandist “Publicly Called for Genocide” 

Investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported in absentia a suspicion against Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Russia Today TV channel. The investigation accused the 43-year-old of publicly calling for the mass murder of Ukrainian children in December 2023. According to the SBU, Simonyan regularly spread Kremlin narratives on social media as well as Russian TV channels. According to the investigation, she repeatedly campaigned for the continuation of missile and bomb attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine.

Simonyan is suspected under four articles of the Ukrainian criminal code: encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, propaganda of war, justification, recognition as legitimate, denial of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, glorification of its participants and public calls for genocide (Article 2, Article 110, Article 436, Part 3 of Article 436-2 and Part 2 of Article 442 of the criminal code of Ukraine).  

Previously, in March 2023, Simonyan was informed in absentia about the suspicion of encroaching on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine.  

Russian Soldier Sentenced to 12 Years 

On March 25, the Chernihiv district court sentenced in absentia a Russian soldier from the 55th Motorised Rifle Brigade to 12 years in prison for the cruel treatment of the civilian population (Part 1 of Article 438 of the criminal code concerning the violation of the laws and customs of war)

In March 2022 during the occupation of the village of Viktorivka, Orlan Dorzha imprisoned  a family with two small children in a cellar. The victims recognised the defendant from a photo and told the court that he had ordered them to return to the cellar at gunpoint.  

The 31-year-old, from the Republic of Tyva, also threatened and searched other villagers and simulated a grenade explosion. Dorzhu's defence attorney has 30 days to appeal.